Struggling retailers have been offering private late night shopping for staff at selected companies in a bid to boost sales in the wake of the September 11 slump.

Staff at the companies are also given special discounts, value added deals and refreshments to tempt them to buy in Bermuda.

Pheonix Stores, the Gibbons Company and Masters are among the stores which have invited workers from some of the Island's largest companies in for the private shopping sessions.

And the verdict so far is that the special shopping nights have been a success at a time when the stores are scrambling for customers.

The Gibbons Company is holding four special shopping nights.

One has been for staff in its various companies, another has been for Bank of Bermuda and two others are for employees of unnamed groups of companies.

Susan Bawn, the general manager of the Gibbons Company, told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "We've selected larger companies because we've found that we only get about 20 percent of those invited who come and we've tended to keep it short and sweet, from 5-7 p.m.

"There have been discounts and we've included a little bit of entertainment, including fashion shows and light catering.

"I think we have been happy with the results.

"Its really a question of trying to be pro-active and not waiting until the end of the year and then saying `Oh my goodness, what happened?'

"If you are offering sales and discount and specials, you are eroding your margins, so you have to increase the volume to cover that."

Phoenix Stores have been offering private shopping for companies for the past three years, offering staff savings of up to 20 percent.

Last week it held late night shopping on Wednesday and Thursday for staff from Bank of Bermuda, Bank of Butterfield, Bermuda Electric Light Company, the Police, two exempt companies, a group of community nurses and Holmes, Williams and Purvey.

George Grundmuller, the chief executive of Pheonix Stores, said yesterday: "There are discounts and activities throughout the stores and there are handcrafts on sale.

"The idea is to go and open up other avenues of business and be proactive in the aftermath of September 11.

"One reason behind it is a thank-you for companies that have worked with us, such as the community nurses. It was a good initiative and everyone, including the staff, had lots of fun."

Chamber of Commerce president Charles Gosling believes the late openings have been a success because stores struggle to get staff to work after 5 p.m., and many shoppers are working during the day.

"We are stuck in most stores with 9-5 opening and we've found it very hard to find staff who will work after that because they are single parents, and our clientele is also working from 9-5.

"So this is a chance to be able to focus in a particular store and offer a good shopping experience, a slight discount on pricing, or maybe a value added purchase.

"Some were doing this before September 11, but there is a little bit more now. I think the special evenings are most certainly a success. It's to create a buzz and an excitement about a shopping evening.

"Surveys have showed that people in the workforce have a lot more friendships in the company than they used to, and it is quite an effective way of getting a group of individuals to go along and have a fun evening."